Christmas Markets
European Christmas Markets
If you love Christmas as much as Buddy the Elf, a visit to a Christmas market is a must. There's nothing like wooden stalls with artisan crafts, festive food, an abundance of fairy lights, unique decorations and Glühwein (mulled wine) or hot apple cider to warm you up to get you in the Christmas spirit.
To help you get the most from your Christmas Market experience, we've made a list (and checked it twice) of the best Christmas Market destinations and when to visit. Whether you're looking for a German Christmas market or you want to travel to Budapest, Prague, Vienna or any of the other city destinations Holidays with Aer Lingus offers, we've got something for you!
Vienna is one of Europe’s oldest Christmas Markets dating back to 1294
Mulled wine is the hot beverage of choice at Christmas Markets
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Top European Christmas Markets
There are dozens of magical Christmas Markets in Europe that you can visit this winter. Whether you want to visit one of Europe’s capital cities or go off-the-beaten-track, there’s always a new Christmas Market for you to explore. These are our customer’s favourite Christmas Market destinations:
- Berlin: Berlin, the German capital, is a fantastic city to experience the magic of a Christmas Market. Large to small, it has over 70 Christmas Markets for you to spend your days and evenings perusing. The largest market is Christmas Magic at the Gendarmenmarkt. Berlin’s Christmas Markets start around the 23rd of November and finish on the 27th of December.
- Vienna: Vienna is a spectacular city to visit at any time of year, but its Christmas Markets make it utterly enchanting. The market at Rathausplatz is filled with artisan crafts, the smell of mulled wine and is the perfect place to pick up a Viennese snow globe. Vienna’s Christmas Markets start around the 14th of November and finish on the 6th of January.
- Prague: Between Christmas Markets at the Old Town Square, St. Wenceslas Square and Prague Castle, you won’t be short of stalls to check out. There are plenty of festive activities to complement the market experience like tree lighting ceremonies, concerts, plays and petting zoos. This year, both of Prague’s Christmas Market start on the 27th of November and finish on the 6th of January (depending on the epidemiological situation of the COVID-19 pandemic).
- Budapest: Budapest takes Christmas cheer to another level. From December, you can hop on an LED-covered tram to get to your chosen Christmas market. The two largest markets are at Vörösmarty Square and St. Stephen’s Basilica and are filled with handmade crafts, decorations and delicious food. Budapest’s Christmas Markets start around the 20th of November and finish on the 1st of January.